Category: Uncategorized

I grew up with a different idea of what my country was about. That country was trying to do the right thing. That country was dedicated to being fair and even-handed, even as it made its mistakes. I am mourning that loss in the face of greed and thoughtlessness taking control. I believe in what really makes America “great,” and not what has been sold to an angry corner of the electorate.

How We Got Here

We were the “live and let live” society. We were the “mutts” of the world: all different colors and nationalities that somehow found a path together. Obviously it wasn’t perfect—nor truly by design—but that concept lit up the world with what it represented. It has become a national source of pride, that somehow more than 200 years ago, some strange blend of English Common Law and forward-thinking created a nation that embraced significant cultural differences between its members.

It was an accident of history. The New World enticed so many different people to its shores, that there were few alternatives. Either there would be a hundred different countries established on this new continent—a likely outcome with the attendant war and conflict—or somehow people would figure out a way to live together.

Share this:

Like this:

The Jazz Perspective looks at the world a little differently—sort of a combination of the intellectual, emotional and spiritual. That’s the exploration we’re having here…

I’ve spent the greater part of my life working on becoming the best jazz musician I know how to be. All my intellectual energy, creative thinking and emotional heart has been dedicated to making music that rolls in in real time—where musical ideas are conceived and executed on the cusp of the moment.

That creates a specific way of looking at the world. It’s kind of a blend of being a scientist, a painter and an athlete—all at the same time. Read more